1:3
“Grace and peace” is the common greeting in Paul’s letters. Undeserved favour and peace are our heritage. Too often we look at our lives as if we do not have these things, we are so prone to anxiety and worry. We need to remind ourselves that we receive grace and peace from God. Here in the grace of God we stand! (Rom 5:1,2). Notice the linking of “from God our Father” and “the Lord Jesus Christ”. This is another implicit example of Christ being equated with God, ie the divinity of Christ. There is one God, but three persons. We are all one being and one person, so all our language and thinking is geared to one being and one person. So when we have a statement like this verse it does not in any way indicate that Christ is not God or is subordinate to God. Rather the two terms (Father and Christ) together indicates their equal divinity.
1:4
As is usually the case, Paul begins his letter by giving thanks for the Corinthians. In fact, Galatians is about the only letter that he does not begin with thanksgiving. The things he includes in the thanksgiving are pertinent to the issues that will be dealt with later on. In this verse Paul highlight the grace of God given in Christ Jesus. We are saved by grace. We deserve nothing yet receive everything. The Corinthians were prone to taking pride in themselves, we should boast in Christ alone. Christ is the only foundation we have for our hope.
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